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Among the Twisted Trees

Well, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve written an entry here and it’s WAY past time for an update.In the past week, both Trevor and Vinny were in drama productions in their schools. Last Saturday and Sunday, Trevor played the Mayor of Wonderland in ‘The Wizard of Wonderland’. Kind of a Alice meets Dorothy…they did a very nice job! And this past Thursday and Friday, Vinny was part of the chorus in his schools adaptation of Hansel and Gretel. It was a nice family time!Trevor is full swing (no pun intended) into Baseball, with practices. Both Vinny and Hope want to do Rec league baseball this summer, so it looks like it’ll be a busy one! Brittany is getting pumped for prom which is a month away, but she’s got her dress, shoes, etc.

In Hebrews 5:7 it says ‘During the days of Jesus’ life on Earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death’Wow! What a portrait! Think about that for a minute…Jesus is in pain and He was on the stage of fear! Jesus is cloaked, not in sainthood, but rather, cloaked in humanity. Fully God and yet…fully human.

The next time despair or pain or fear finds you, it might do you well to remember Jesus in the garden. The next time you think that no one understands, reread the 14th chapter of Mark. The next time your self-pity convinces you that no one cares, pay a visit to Gethsemane. And the next time you wonder if God really perceives the pain and the sorrow that prevails on this dusty little planet, listen to Him…He’s pleading on bended knee, sweating droplets of blood, among the twisted trees.

Comments

Vince and kids,I haven't check in on your blog for awhile. Had a few minutes today to catch up. We still think of you often and wonder how you are doing. I know you are very strong. I also remember the day Brittany was born can't believe its 17 years. Love your new site, keep up your writing and we will check in with you again.

Wow, Vince. You painted an amazing picture. God's been revealing a similar message to me recently. When I find myself in conversation with Jesus about a season I am walking through, I find myself saying "Lord, you really get this, don't you? You really understand. You have walked this path of loneliness...sorrow...grief...fear." I think I always used to picture Him walking through His earthly life in peace. I thought nothing really got Him riled, except for the money changers in the temple and the pharasees. And if I wasn't walking in that peace, I felt like I didn't have enough faith. But lately He's been teaching me that it's ok to experience the emotions of pain, loneliness, fear, even temptation. It's what we do with them that either draws us closer to Him or steers us off the path and on a rabbit trail.

I was on a rabbit trail recently, and was chasing an emotion that I thought was going to finally "get me out of the woods" that I've been in for what seems like an eternity. I kept waiting for God to yank me back, if He didn't want me to go there. But I found that He doesn't work that way. He doesn't have our emotions on a leash, and if we choose to take off and follow them, He will allow it.

But if our hearts are open to hearing the truth, He promises wisdom, rest and soothing balm for our scraped knees as we come crawling back to Him. And we realize (I did) that walking on the path next to my Savior, who truly does understand, is the very best place to be.